This invention lies generally in the field of electroplating and deals more particularly with means for supporting items to be only partially plated, such as combustion engine valves and the like, for travel through the electroplating process.
It is the practice in manufacturing valves for combustion engines to surface coat the valve seat and face of the valve with a special coating. This has conventionally been done by electroplating. However, because the electro-deposition of the coating material is to be confined only to a limited portion of the valve surface (no deposits are to be made on the stem) it has heretofore been felt necessary to seal off the stem portion of the valve from contact with the electroplating bath, either by wrapping, coating or by special equipment which shields the stem during its immersion in the bath. As a consequence, problems in achieving a high rate of production in electroplating valves have long been encountered.
The article holder of the present invention has features which improve markedly both ease of handling and the rate of production.
My invention provides an article holder which comprises a series of open ended tubes arranged on a hanger bar in echelon fashion with the tubes inclined at an acute angle from the vertical. The valves can be inserted stem first into the upper ends of the tube with the lower ends of the valve stems seating in conductive sleeves located within the tubes. The tubes are open to flow both at the upper and lower ends and means are provided for electrically connecting the hanger bar with the sleeves. Despite the permitted presence of electroplating bath liquid within the tube in my arrangement, there is no deposit of material on the stems and the tubes are free from contamination as they move from bath to bath during the electroplating process. The bars can be rapidly loaded and unloaded with the articles to be held. The equipment is simple and easy to maintain and greatly enhances production of electroplated valves, although it is readily adaptable to other items having the same general requirements of partial plating.
Other and further features of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.